Binghamton rallies past Corning for 4-2 softball win

Corning committed four errors in the fifth inning, leading to three Binghamton runs and sparking the Patriots to a 4-2 Section IV, Class AA semifinal victory on Canada Road Thursday.

Shawn Vargo

Corning committed four errors in the fifth inning, leading to three Binghamton runs and sparking the Patriots to a 4-2 Section IV, Class AA semifinal victory on Canada Road Thursday.

The top-seeded Hawks (12-5) were burned by three throwing errors and allowed two Patriots to score on a single wild pitch.

“When you get to this point of the season, the team that makes no mistakes is going to win,” Corning head coach Irene Furness said. “Binghamton made things happen. That was some smart base running.”

“We haven’t been much of an offensive team – we’ve gotten things done with pitching and defense,” Binghamton head coach Joe Mancinelli said. “We try to scrape out runs when we can. Getting two runs on a passed ball fits that definition.”

The Hawks grabbed the early lead by scoring single runs in the first two innings.

Corning opened the game with a Sarah Trifoso double, which was followed by an RBI single by Hailey Blencowe. In the second inning, Taylor Sparks hit a changeup off the dugout beyond the left field fence.

Then the strangeness began.

In the top of the third, Binghamton’s starting pitcher, seventh-grader Mikayla Pourby, lined a single up the middle. Courtesy-running Riley Ward was sacrificed to second, before moving to third on a wild pitch.

While that wasn’t strange, what happened with Ward at third and a 3-0 count to Kaily LaForce was. Corning pitcher Olivia Furness was called for an illegal pitch when the home plate umpire said she stopped her motion. LaForce was sent to first and Ward was awarded home plate – cutting the Hawks’ lead to 2-1.

Pourby then fanned four Corning batters over the next two innings, to keep the Patriots within striking distance – which came in the fifth.

The eight and nine batters reached base on infield throwing errors, which moved them to third and second with no outs. Leadoff batter Allie McGovern then hit a one-hopper to short and Corning’s Chaylen Andolino ran Julie Abbadessa toward home. Andolino and Hawks catcher Megan Lewis couldn’t sync up on the throw, allowing Abbadessa to not only score, but to put runners on third and second again, with no outs.

The next wild pitch allowed Ward to score without a throw. Unfortunately for the Hawks, Lewis was not able to block the plate before McGovern slid home safely.

“There are always nerves when the game is close,” Furness said. “You can play looser when you are way ahead, but once we were called for the illegal pitch, we kind of tightened up.”

Corning threatened in the seventh as Lewis opened the inning with a double. The Hawks had runners on the corners following a two-out single by Lynne Pierce, but could not muster the timely hit.

“We hit some shots, but we hit them right at people,” Furness said.

Olivia Furness finished with eight strikeouts and only allowed three hits. Sparks led Corning with two hits.

Pourby allowed six hits, but fanned seven and didn’t allow a walk.

“She made some good pitches today and our defense made the plays it was supposed to,” Mancinelli said. “It was a great team effort. We did just what we needed to do.”